


Almost

by ashtraythief



Series: Hungry [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Age Difference, Flirting, M/M, brief Jeff/OMC, mentions of Jensen/OMC - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-27 01:59:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15675747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtraythief/pseuds/ashtraythief
Summary: Jensen has a boyfriend, so Jeff decides to date too. Turns out, it doesn’t work so well for either of them.





	Almost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BeeLikeJ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeeLikeJ/gifts).



> Once upon a star, written for beelikej's birthday. I started exploring the backstory of our reversebang Hungry years ago and decided to finish it up. In the next few weeks, I will finish posting their backstory.  
> Many thanks to ilikaicalie for the beta!!!!

It’s been awhile since Jeff has seen Jensen. He travelled a lot these past few months and then he met a guy. Not as pretty as Jensen, certainly not as contrary and elusive as Jensen, but smart and driven. Andrew works in the same building Jeff does, has the same life he does, is the same age as Jeff. Climbing the corporate ladder, living for the job, and he loves dogs. So when they ended up sharing a cab at the bar across from their office building, Jeff had taken Andrew up on his invitation for coffee.

Jensen had started dating a while ago, actually doing the whole boyfriend-monogamy shtick and Jeff had felt the urge to punch something when he saw them leaving Joe’s hand in hand. So Jensen isn’t against dating, he’s just against dating Jeff.

Jensen’s boyfriend is some proper looking guy—teacher in training, very nice kid, Joe said with an I-already-pity-the-fool headshake—and Jeff had his doubts that the guy could satisfy Jensen. So he’d waited for them to break up. After two months they were still leaving Joe’s hand in hand and Jeff had to admit to himself that this thing with Jensen had become a pipe dream. Joe had given him a sorry-buddy, no-one-saw-this-coming look and poured him a whiskey on the house. Not every negotiation was winnable, sometimes you have to step away and cut your losses. So Jeff started dating Andrew.

It takes him six weeks to realize that he’s bored. Andrew is perfectly nice, the sex is perfectly good and their time out together with Bisou is perfectly relaxing. There is nothing wrong with their relationship except that Jeff is excruciatingly bored. They are drifting pleasantly side by side without any push, without any pull, without any challenge.

When he fights with Andrew, they argue about what time they were going to have dinner and what to do on the weekends. And yet, their fights are of no consequence, because Jeff knows that even if Andrew might be mad and turn his back towards him during the night, they’ll make up again. Andrew is in this relationship, he wants them to work. Jeff couldn’t care less.

He breaks up with Andrew one Friday night over dinner. He is civil, tells Andrew it’s not his fault.

Andrew nods sharply. “You’re not over your ex, are you?”

“There is no ex,” Jeff says irritatedly. “There hasn’t been in a while.”

Andrew just raises his eyebrows. “I could say you were always one foot out the door in this relationship but that would imply that at some point you were actually _in_ this relationship. I don’t care if he’s your ex or not, but you're hung up on someone.” Andrew smiles. “Which I’d never have believed if they had told me a few weeks ago.”

Jeff wants to protest but Andrew has a point. So he gives him a self-deprecating smile. “I’m sorry. I thought I could make this work.”

Andrew shrugs. “I thought so too. Good luck with whoever it is that you can’t stop thinking about.”

With that, he stands and leaves. Jeff puts some money on the table, unwilling to wait for the waiter.

Outside, he hails a cab. His first instinct is Joe’s but he doesn’t want to see Jensen again. Just because things with Andrew haven’t worked, doesn’t mean he can’t find someone else. Even if it’s only for one night. Jensen—or rather his absence—has to stop ruling his life.

He goes to a club that’s known for easy hook-ups. At the bar, he orders a drink and surveilles the scene, realizing too late that he’s not in the mood. He’ll just finish his drink, go home, maybe go on a long evening walk with Bisou. A few guys come to chat him up but he makes it clear he’s not interested.

“You’re in a bad mood tonight,” a familiar voice says next to him.

Incredulously, he turns to find Jensen leaning next to him. Behind Jensen, two guys who’d come up to Jeff earlier are watching, probably in anticipation to see Jensen get brushed off too.

“Why would you think I’m in a bad mood?” Jeff asks slowly.

“Your shoulders are all tense and your face has that stormy, you-had-a-bad-day-look.” Jensen gives him a wry grin. “And you sent every guy who came over packing.” He lets out a huff. “In a perfect world that would be because you’re just waiting for me to show up, but since this isn’t a place we both usually frequent I’d say that’s not how it is.”

Jeff gives him a grin, can't help it. “That’s not how it is.”

“Then again, since when do you go out, not looking for company? In a place like this?”

“Maybe I changed my mind.”

Jensen slowly licks his lips. “Any chance I can un-change your mind?”

Jeff raises his eyebrows. “What’s your boyfriend going to say about that?”

“There’s no boyfriend,” Jensen says casually. Under Jeff’s scrutinizing look he rolls his eyes. “There’s no boyfriend _anymore_.”

“Why did you have one in the first place?” Jeff can’t stop himself from asking.

Jensen laughs, a short burst of that throaty noise Jeff knows so well. “He was in my gender and sexuality studies class. He was nice. Our friends got along and I thought I should try this dating thing at least once. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

He was part of Jensen’s life is what Jensen means but doesn’t say.

“He was nice?” Jeff asks teasingly. “Since when do you do nice?”

“Shut up,” Jensen says, gives Jeff a playful hit to the shoulder, then lets his hand linger. “And I obviously realized it was a stupid idea, otherwise I wouldn’t be boyfriend-less now, here, talking to you.”

Jeff thinks about leaving, without Jensen. If Jensen can’t even have a relationship with a guy his own age, when all the arguments he gave Jeff don’t matter, how can he ever have one with Jeff?

But Jeff can’t help but lean into Jensen, can’t help the thrill when Jensen moves towards him, head already tilted in anticipation of a kiss.

He’d seen Jensen’s boyfriend, that nice looking teacher-to-be. He wasn’t the guy for Jensen. Jeff knows he is. And he’s back in the game.

Jeff brushes his lips against Jensen’s, then leans down to drag his teeth along Jensen’s neck in a way that drives him crazy.

“Why exactly are you talking to me?” Jeff asks quietly, right next to Jensen ear.

Jensen leans into him even more. “Because I want someone to touch me who knows what he wants and who knows what I want.”

Jeff doesn’t think about leaving without Jensen anymore. They leave the bar under the jealous looks of the guys Jeff refused and a few others who were probably hoping for a chance with Jensen. Jensen turning heads wherever he goes, that hasn’t changed in the last few months. If possible, Jensen’s become even more attractive.

Outside, in the cool night hair, Jeff slings an arm around Jensen’s shoulder and for a brief, exhilarating moment, Jensen leans into him before he steps away and hails a passing cab.

Jeff grins. Progress.

 

 


End file.
